Archiving and Encryption

To test the processors performance during data archiving we resort to WinRAR archiving utility. Using maximum compression rate we archive a folder with multiple files 560 MB in total size.

There are a lot of factors affecting the performance of WinRAR: the CPU’s clock rate, the number of CPU cores, the mount of cache memory, etc. However, this time the diagram looks quite simple. We’ve got LGA1366 models at the top, the quad-core LGA1156 ones in the middle, and the quad-core LGA775 at the bottom. The only disappointment is that the Phenom II X6 is only capable of beating its dual-core opponents.

The processor performance during encryption is measured with an integrated benchmark from a popular cryptographic utility called TrueCrypt. I have to say that it can not only effectively utilize any number of processor cores, but also supports special AES instructions.

Encryption can easily be paralleled, therefore we’ve got six-core processors from both AMD and Intel in the lead. Intel’s ones are faster due to their more advanced architecture and support for the AES instruction set.

Image Editing

We measured the performance in Adobe Photoshop using our own benchmark made from Retouch Artists Photoshop Speed Test that has been creatively modified. It includes typical editing of four 10-megapixel images from a digital photo camera.

There are no surprises here, either. The LGA1366 and LGA1156 processors are ranked up according to their model numbers. The LGA775 oldies can’t compete with the newer products whereas the six-core processors from AMD are slow.